


The Princess and the Prince

by orphan_account



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 18:55:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7857187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Holtzmann seems to be prone to danger. It's a good thing Patty is always looking out for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Princess and the Prince

It seemed to Holtzmann that, if ghosts targeted Erin as the one they covered with ectoplasm, then they also targeted Holtzmann as the one they aimed to maim. It was a trend Holtzmann picked up on pretty quickly, what with the constant dodging of an inordinate amount of angry, glowing spectres and all. It was kind of hard to not notice. Where the ghosts seemed to have a sixth sense for where Erin was when they wanted to spit out sticky green goo, they seemed to have a sixth sense for where Holtz was when they were aiming for bodily harm.

Holtzmann didn’t think it was a very fair situation.

“Holtzy, get down!” Patty screamed from across the room. Holtzmann’s body was responding to Patty’s voice before she had even fully registered the words, automatically dropping to the floor. Good ol’ reliable Patty, who always seemed to have a third eye watching Holtzmann, for all the times she had saved Holtzmann’s ass with a well timed warning.

Like right then, when Holtzmann felt what resembled a cold gust of air brush over her where she lay on the floor, the ghost passing over her with a screech. Far, far too close for comfort.

“Thanks, Patty-cake!” Holtzmann called, jumping to her feet once the ghost had passed. It was a hell of an angry ghost. Ugly too. It looked like what would happen if someone crossed a skeleton with a bird and covered it with rotten meat. The thing had trashed the room they were in, overturning every single piece of furniture and leaving the walls an ugly mess of scratches and slime. When they had gotten the call, they hadn’t expected it to be such a difficult bust. But they had been chasing the ghost for nearly three hours now, and both they and their equipment were running low on fuel.

“Guys, I’ve got an idea!” Abby shouted from across the room. “We need someone to distract it. Lead it into a corner where the rest of us can close in from behind. We’ve gotta get it trapped before it can escape again.”

As far as plans went, Holtzmann considered it a pretty weak one. But they were exhausted, and they had wasted too much of their packs’ power on failed attempts to catch the ghost earlier. They didn’t really have time to think up a better plan.

“I volunteer as tribute!” Holtzmann shouted, throwing up her fingers in a salute. Ghost seemed to like coming after her anyway, she might as well make use out of it. Throwing her eyes around the room, she quickly selected a corner to her left that seemed to offer the best vantage point and have the least amount of debris. She took off running, waving her arms in the air and jumping.

“Here, Casper!” she shouted. “Who’s a mean little ghost? You are, you are!”

“How about you try not to piss off the giant, angry spirit,” Patty shouted at her, and Holtzmann laughed. It was way too late for that. She was pretty sure her very existence pissed off ghosts.

“Come and get me!” she called out in a sing-song voice, dragging out the last syllable as long as she could. All of the theatrics proved unnecessary, though, as the ghost was already headed her way. She turned to face it, her back facing the corner, and shot a proton stream out of her gun to hold it at bay.

“Hurry guys!” Erin called, though it was a needless demand, as all of them were headed towards Holtzmann and the ghost already, guns out.

“I’ve got the trap,” Holtzmann said, her foot resting on the release. “Get ready!”

The other three lined up behind the ghost, and with its attention focused on fighting off Holtzmann’s proton beam, it didn’t notice the others until they had each shot out their own beams at it.

“We’ve got it!” Abby shouted, excitement edging into her voice. But her joy was premature, because right when Holtzmann stepped on the trap to open it, the ghost surged forward, swiping at her with a bony, clawed hand. She felt something sharp and cold go through her stomach just before the trap sucked the ghost in, pulling it’s hand out of her as it went. She couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her lips.

“Yeah, we did it!” Abby shouted, pumping her fists in the air and then high-fiving Erin, who let out a whoop of joy. Patty, however, was silent, her watchful eyes on Holtzmann as always.

“Holtzy? You okay, girl?”

Holtzmann hadn’t moved. One hand was still gripping the proton gun, while the other was resting over her stomach.

“Um.” She suddenly couldn’t think clearly. Her stomach felt cold. Very, very, painfully cold. Painful. Her stomach _hurt_.

“I’m thinking no,” she said, her voice coming out strained. “Not okay.”

Then her knees gave out on her and she dropped to the ground.

“Holtzmann!”

She wasn’t sure who shouted her name, though it might have been all of them, since all three of the others were by her side in an instant.

“What happened?”

“I think the ghost got her. Saw the bastard reach out for her right before it got sucked in.”

“Hey, hey, look at us, Holtz.”

She obliged, lifting her head to look up at the three worried faces peering down at her. It was hard to focus on them and she had to keep blinking.

“’s cold,” she said. Her voice sounded funny to her own ears. Like it was coming from someone far away, and not her own mouth. She laughed a little at the thought, then winced at the pain it brought her. She clutched her stomach harder, and felt something hot and wet seeping through them.

“Okay, baby, we got you.” That was Patty. Holtzmann knew that was Patty. She kept blinking and it was getting harder to keep her eyes open, but she knew that was Patty without having to look.

Holtzmann felt someone moving her hands away before pressure was applied to her stomach. It hurt, and she let out a noise of protest, but someone just shushed her gently.

“I got you, baby,” Patty said. Holtzmann felt Patty’s arms wrap around her and lift her up, and though the movement hurt, Holtzmann felt safe. “You’re gonna be just fine, you hear me? Don’t you pass out on me, girl. You better stay awake.”

“Anything for you,” Holtzmann said, or at least she tried to say it. She didn’t think the words came out right. They sounded garbled and slurred.

Then, despite Patty’s words, Holtzmann passed out.

 

***

 

Everything felt fuzzy and light, like she was floating. It was an effort for Holtzmann to open her eyes. They felt heavier than they had any right to be, and her head felt bigger than she remembered it being.

Once she managed to pry her eyes open she had to blink a few times until she could see clearly. She could tell immediately that was in a hospital. The white walls and the generic flower painting across from her gave it away.

Holtzmann turned her head to her left, trying to get a better look around, and she saw Patty slumped in a chair, asleep.

“Patty,” Holtzmann said, but it came out as nothing but a rasp. She licked her lips and swallowed a few times before trying again. “Patty. Patty, Patty, Patty.”

Patty groggily sat up, rubbing at her head. Then she made eye contact with Holtzmann and she was on her feet, instantly awake.

“Hey there, Holtzy,” she said, a smile pulling across her face.

“Lucky me, getting to wake up to your pretty face,” Holtzmann said. She smiled back at Patty and threw her a wink. Patty laughed again and shook her head.

“Girl, you just never stop,” Patty said, sounding pleased. “You’d have woken up to all of our pretty faces, but Abby and Erin just went to grab food, they’ll be back any minute now.”

“Ooh, tell them to bring me Pringles.”

Patty laughed at that. “I’ll do that.”

Patty paused for a moment. Then, more quietly she said, “You scared the shit out of me, baby.”

“Sorry, Patsy,” Holtzmann said. Her eyes were getting heavy again, and it was getting harder to think. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I know. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Patty reached down and grasped Holtzmann’s hand in her own, giving it a squeeze. Holtzmann squeezed back, though it was too hard to get her hand to cooperate with her foggy brain, and it was a weak squeeze.

“I’m better than okay,” Holtzmann said, words slightly mumbled. “I’m fine as hell.”

Patty laughed again. “Yeah, you are fine.”

“I want Pringles,” Holtzmann said. “And flowers. Bring me flowers, Patty.”

“Anything you want,” Patty said, giving a chuckle that was dripping with affection.

“Flowers. And a cat. I want a cat.”

The last thing Holtzmann heard before she fell asleep was the sound of Patty’s laughter.

 

***

 

When Holtzmann woke up again, it was to the sound of murmuring voices. It was easier to open her eyes this time, but it still took more time than it should have.

“’Ello,” she mumbled, turning her head to the side to see Patty sitting alone. “I thought I heard talking.”

“Hey, Holtzy,” Patty said, her face lighting up with what Holtzmann could only describe as pure delight. “Man, you just missed Abby and Erin. They were here just thirty seconds ago, I kid you not. Want me to go get them?”

Patty was already standing and halfway out the door before Holtzmann said, “Nah, stay. I’m happy to see you.”

“I’m happy to see you too,” Patty said, coming to stand by Holtzmann’s side. “The doctor said you’ll be good to go home soon. They had to stitch you up real good, and you lost a lot of blood, but she said you’re gonna be just fine.”

“I’m always fine.”

“You already used that joke,” Patty said with a chuckle.

“It’s a good one.”

“Sure it is.”

“Hey, don’t pretend you don’t agree. You think I’m fine.”

Holtzmann winked at Patty and Patty laughed, shaking her head back and forth in an exaggerated display of exasperation.

“You won’t get an argument with me on that one,” Patty said, throwing a wink of her own to Holtzmann. Holtzmann’s face split into a delighted grin.

Then Patty clapped her hands together and said, “Oh! I got you something.”

“You did?” Holtzmann said, dragging out the words. “A gift for lil ol’ me?”

Patty bent down and rustled through her bag, before standing back up with a very satisfied grin on her face. She held out her hands to Holtzmann; in one hand was a can of Pringles, and in the other was a little stuffed cat.

Holtzmann’s face pulled up into a grin so wide it made her cheeks hurt.

“Gimme, gimme!” she said, reaching out her hands and making grasping motions at the air.

“Which one?”

“Both.”

Patty laughed but obliged, handing her the stuffed cat and the can of pringles. Holtzmann cradled both objects to her chest in a hug.

“Girl, you’re not supposed to cuddle Pringles.”

“I do what I want.”

“You crazy little thing,” Patty said, nothing but affection in her voice. “Oh, and look to your right, too.”

Holtzmann turned her head to her side, and there on the little table next to her bed was a bouquet of flowers.

“You got me flowers, too?” Something warm fluttered in her chest, and she couldn’t even think of a joke.

“Well, the flowers were from all of us.”

“I’m touched,” Holtzmann said, and she had meant for it to sound joking, but it came out sounding sincere. She really was touched.

“I told you, anything you wanted,” Patty said. “Flowers, Pringles, and a cat, right?”

Holtzmann squeezed the Pringles and stuffed cat closer to her chest. “Can I ask for one more thing?”

“Of course. Anything you need.”

“How about a kiss?”

Patty lifted her eyebrows in surprise. “A kiss?”

Holtzmann nodded emphatically. “The princess always has to kiss the prince to make her all better.”

“I think it’s usually the other way around.”

“Gender roles are so 19th century,” Holtzmann said, rolling her eyes. “Besides, you’re the princess here.”

“Well, can’t argue with that one,” Patty said with a smirk. “And you’re the prince?”

“Yep.”

“Well, I think I can handle that.” Patty smiled at her, her expression gentle, and Holtzmann’s heart fluttered in her chest. Then Patty was leaning down and her lips were on hers, only for a second, but it was sweet and soft and Holtzmann’s heart was doing somersaults.

“Can I ask for another kiss?” Holtzmann said when Patty pulled away. “Or how about two more? No, three. Four?”

Patty laughed, and then cut her off with another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm basically trash for hurt/comfort fics, what can I say. There's really not much plot here, but I wanted to write something quick and short while I'm working on a longer fic. Plus, there aren't a lot of fics for pairings other than Holtzbert, so I wanted to give Patty some love.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. :)


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